05/03/05 Codding moth awareness growing

The cooler weather conditions have really benefited fruit growers with the application of base pest controls. But one application that has gained a greater significance this year is coddling moth prevention applications. SQUIRES: We're definitely looking at coddling moth as a big part of what's coming up in the future for growers to take care of and to kind of get in front of to set the foundation for the rest of the season & control coddling moth early so we're not dealing with the higher numbers later in the season. If we're successful in doing that, then coddling moth control should be an easier task if we get the first generation control this year. But Nate Squires at Northwest Wholesale says the emphasis on application has been magnified by the recent reopening of U.S. apples to Taiwan. SQUIRES: Coddling moth control should be really high on the radar for growers especially under the circumstances for marketing the fruit. We really want to come in, do a good job early with that pest, and control it as well as we can, so that we don't have to fight so hard in the summer to take care of that problem. Some advice from Squires and others to growers, especially those that have had coddling moth difficulty in the past, is that if there is any doubt that fruit has significant signs of coddling moth, that it would be best not to pack that particular fruit to Taiwan.